


Bird's Eye View

by khalulu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys Kissing, Eventual Romance, Girls Kissing, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Owls, Remix, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-06 19:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14654796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khalulu/pseuds/khalulu
Summary: Harry wants a quiet place to figure out his life. Draco wants to work up the nerve to send his father a letter breaking off an arranged marriage. They both think they want to be alone. The owls want to know how long these human courtship rituals are going to take. Hogwarts Owlery, it's the place to be.





	Bird's Eye View

**Author's Note:**

  * For [persephoneapple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/persephoneapple/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Off the Market](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2240943) by [persephoneapple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/persephoneapple/pseuds/persephoneapple). 



> Dear Persephoneapple, thanks for sending me to the Owlery with your sweet ficlet! I extended backwards and forwards in time, and borrowed the owl's name from another of your fics. The fluffiest parts of this come at the end, as dessert.
> 
> Thank you so much to the mods for their patience, generosity, graciousness and good cheer in running this fun fest!
> 
> And thank you to my speedy beta, S, for helping me with finishing touches.

It was a miserably rainy autumn Sunday and Harry was restless, not in the mood for company. He wandered empty corridors of Hogwarts lost in thought, brooding over his latest confusing argument with Ginny, until he found himself on the fourth floor by the stairs to the Owlery. He hadn’t been back there yet since returning to school as an eighth year student. On impulse he headed up.

The Owlery was cool and drafty, as usual, and the floor a mess of straw and owl droppings. It was a peaceful place to pause, among the hundreds of dozing owls, large and small, light and dark, speckled and barred. But none of them were Hedwig, and now that particular grief flew in and landed hard. 

When Harry opened his eyes again, a few owls were looking at him. He didn’t have any post for them to carry, or any owl treats to give. “Sorry,” Harry said with an apologetic shrug. But he felt a little lighter as he turned to go.

“What was that about?” one of the new owls asked.

“That was Hedwig’s boy,” another owl answered. There was a moment of silence in honor of Hedwig, who died in a curse-storm ever loyal to her boy.

∞ 8 ∞

Draco climbed the stairs toward the Owlery one Wednesday evening. He might not manage to argue with Father to his face, but he could send a letter.

Artemis, his eagle owl, looked up as he came in. He just had to tie the letter to her leg and… Draco had an image of the owl returning at breakfast to deliver a Howler. That wasn’t really Father’s style – he tended more to the cold and cutting – but still.

Draco sighed and Vanished the letter. Maybe he wasn’t ready quite yet. 

“What’s up with him?” asked the new owl after Draco left. 

“A giant serpent invaded his nest when he was still a fledgling,” said Artemis. “It would unnerve anyone.”

∞ 8 ∞

Harry went for a lot of long broom rides after Ginny broke up with him. Eventually he felt more at peace about the whole thing – relieved, even – but the Gryffindor Common Room still felt like an awkward place, and he found himself wandering up to the Owlery again late one winter afternoon.

He gazed out one of the windows as the sun set and the sky darkened. Below he could see Hagrid and Fang coming out of the Forbidden Forest and entering Hagrid’s hut. A moment later a light glowed through Hagrid’s window. 

An owl swept by Harry on its way out to hunt, and then another. He looked after them. The first stars were coming out. Harry smiled, spelled owl droppings off his shoes, and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner.

∞ 8 ∞

It had become almost a ritual. Draco would climb the stairs to the Owlery with a letter to his father, pause irresolute, sigh, Vanish the letter, gaze out the window and tell himself that next time he would send it. Next time, when he’d found the perfect words. Meanwhile it was peaceful in the Owlery and the owls didn’t seem to mind.

Except that this time when Draco reached the top of the stairs, letter in hand, Potter was there, lounging about. Draco would never work up the nerve to send the letter with Potter looking on, so he Vanished it right away. 

Potter narrowed his eyes and Draco realized that he’d just made himself look suspicious. Potter had a junior Auror expression on his face, like he was about to accuse Draco of destroying evidence.

“Is something wrong, Malfoy?”

It wouldn’t be prudent to antagonize Potter; Draco’s position was too shaky since the war. He shook his head. “Just a family matter.”

That did not appear to reassure Potter. 

“My father has arranged an alliance,” Draco explained.

“Frigging purebloods,” Potter muttered grimly.

 _That’s the idea_ , Draco thought, but he could see Potter was imagining political conspiracies. 

“A _matrimonial_ alliance, Potter. Nobody’s trying to set up another Dark Lord.”

Now Potter looked puzzled. “A marriage? But your father’s already married.”

“Not for _him_. For me.”

“You want to get married already?”

“No, Potter. What part of ‘arranged marriage’ don’t you understand?”

“Any part. So why don’t you tell your father to stuff it? What can he do?”

Draco shrugged. “Disown me.”

Potter frowned and looked as if he were going to say more. 

“I’ll be going then,” said Draco abruptly. “Enjoy communing with the owls.”

∞ 8 ∞

Apparently Potter did enjoy communing with the owls, because he turned up there again a week later. This time Draco had been looking out one of the high windows when Potter appeared and paused in the doorway, empty-handed.

“Get on with it and post your letter if you’ve got one, Potter,” Draco said. “Otherwise why don’t you go and find your own tower to brood in, and leave me alone?” 

Potter’s eyes sparked. “Where do you suggest, Malfoy - the Astronomy Tower? That spot is ruined for me. You might remember why.”

Draco pressed his eyes shut. He took a deep breath before he opened them again. “I ruined a lot of things, I’m aware. Apologies aren’t adequate. But since I have a life to go on living, I’m trying to work out how not to ruin the rest of it, and for that…” He looked at Potter. “I’d like some privacy.”

Potter, stubborn as always, stayed put. A tiny owl woke up, hooted with excitement, and flew over to him. “Hello, Pigwidgeon,” Potter said softly.

Right, that was Weasley’s ridiculous little owl.

“You could find somewhere else to go, Malfoy,” Potter said.

“Yes, I could go to Moaning Myrtle’s loo,” Draco snapped. “But the view is better here. And that spot is ruined for me. You might remember why.”

Potter’s jaw dropped.

Draco swept past him and down the stairs.

∞ 8 ∞

About a week later, Draco entered the Owlery and found Potter waiting as promised. “I got your message,” Draco said. “Why did you want to meet?”

“I _didn’t_ remember. All week I’ve been trying to figure out how that could be.” Potter began to pace back and forth. “I almost _killed_ you sixth year in that loo, I didn’t mean to but suddenly your blood was all over and I was horrified – and afterwards I just blocked it from my memory. I got involved with Ginny and forgot about that fight – or maybe I got involved with Ginny to help me forget – and I never apologized to you.”

He sighed and faced Draco. “What was it you said? Apologies aren’t adequate? But I’m sorry.”

Draco looked at him silently. Artemis shook out her feathers and Draco went over to where she was perched and stroked her. “It was that kind of a year,” he said. “I almost killed a number of people and I’m sorry about all of them.” He looked up. “We’re both still alive, though. Can we talk about something else?”

“All right,” said Harry. “Er, is your father still trying to marry you off?”

“Really, Potter, that’s your idea of lightening up a conversation? Yes, that’s still his plan.”

“I don’t understand the rush.” Potter frowned, staring out the window. “They ought to give us time to figure things out. Relax and explore, now that there’s no war on.”

Who was pressuring Potter, then? Draco studied his profile, recalling various headlines he’d seen in passing. _The Daily Prophet_ , between the occasional “Do Death Eater Kids Really Deserve a Hogwarts Education?” articles, published a lot along the lines of “What’s Next for Our Hero Harry?” _Witch Weekly_ chimed in with “Boy Who Lived Breaks Up with Girlfriend: Who’ll Be the Next Lucky Lady?” and “Our Savior’s Single Again – Is He Seeking a Sweetheart?” 

Who _wasn’t_ pressuring Potter, was probably a better question. “Don’t read the newspaper, you’ll feel better,” Draco advised.

Potter snorted. He turned and boosted himself up to sit on the window-ledge, legs dangling above the floor. “Who’s the witch?”

“I barely know her. She went to Beauxbatons.”

“Maybe you’ll get lucky and she’ll call it off.”

∞ 8 ∞

After that conversation, their old animosity seemed largely defused. They had a tacit agreement to share the Owlery, and when they found themselves there together, they would often talk a little, gradually becoming more relaxed with each other. One evening in early spring they leaned side by side at a window, watching owls go forth and stars come out. Harry couldn’t help asking Draco again about the arranged marriage.

“Why can’t your father wait until you choose your own wife?”

“Maybe he’s afraid I never will.” Draco hesitated. “I don’t really…want that from witches.”

“You’ve never fancied anyone?”

“Not witches.”

“Muggles?”

“No, stupid.”

“What, wizards?”

Draco was silent.

“Have you ever kissed one?” Harry asked. 

“There hasn’t been much opportunity.”

“You should find out, don’t you think, before you go through with a marriage.”

“Is that an invitation, Potter?”

Harry’s mouth went dry. _Of course not,_ he thought. “Why not?” he heard himself say.

Draco snorted. “Let me count the reasons… No, we’d be here all night.”

Harry felt an odd current of excitement. “Here all night making excuses?” His voice had turned husky. “Or kissing?”

“Well, if you’re _daring_ me…”

Harry shifted closer, and then Draco leaned in and brushed his lips against Harry’s, just briefly but a sweet jolt shot through Harry.

“Oh,” he said, marveling. He heard Draco take an unsteady breath. Harry leaned toward him again and then they were kissing longer, softer, then deeper, and Harry lost himself and found himself in Draco’s arms.

∞ 8 ∞

It was almost summer, and though the stone wall of the Owlery was cool against Harry’s back, the air was warm, and so was Draco’s skin against his own. Their leisurely kiss was heating up nicely and all was well in Harry’s world, until he heard a gasp and looked up to see Lavender Brown in the entrance. She stared at them in horror, dropped the letter she’d been carrying, and ran back down the steps.

Draco had wanted to keep their relationship secret until he’d finished school and become independent of his family. But with a gossip like Lavender Brown, the news would spread like wildfire. They both knew it.

Then Lucius Malfoy would lose no time in trying to force Draco to marry some “suitable” pureblood witch.

And how could Harry give up this passion, this unexpected sweetness he’d found with Draco?

“I’ll still be your boyfriend,” Draco said. “I don’t care anymore if my father finds out and disowns me. Let Brown tell the world.”

Harry let out a long breath. “It’ll be a relief in some ways, not having to hide. Let’s show them we don’t care, then.”

“Sit with me at breakfast, in the Great Hall?”

“Mmm,” Harry agreed. 

“Mmmm?” Draco teased, taking Harry back into his arms.

“Mmmmmmm…”

They didn’t notice the newest owl – no longer so new – pick up Lavender’s letter and fly after her.

∞ 8 ∞

Lavender ran outside, bursting with the news. Harry Potter kissing, of all people, Draco Malfoy? She didn’t know what to think. And they’d looked so happy, so caught up in each other, and…

A tide of longing swept over her and she sank onto a bench. She found herself crying.

“Lavender? What’s wrong? Lavender?”

Parvati was bending over her, concern in her dark eyes.

“Just…just…” Her voice cracked. “Will anyone ever love me?”

Parvati sat and put an arm around her shoulders. “I love you, Lavender. You’re my dearest friend.” 

Lavender leaned into her. “But, but…will anyone ever kiss me again?” Tears ran down her face, crookedly because of the scars. She’d been pretty, once, before the battle, before the werewolf. Now people sometimes flinched when they looked at her.

“Does it have to be a wizard?”

Lavender blinked at her friend.

“I mean, does it have to be a boy? I could kiss you,” Parvati said in a quiet voice. Parvati, who never flinched. “Could I kiss you?”

Lavender blinked again. She nodded.

Parvati tilted her head and cupped Lavender’s scarred cheek in her warm hand. They pressed their lips together, and Parvati’s body was soft against her own. “Oh,” Lavender breathed.

“Oh,” Parvati echoed, her mouth rounded in sweet surprise.

They leaned forward and kissed again.

The owl tactfully set Lavender’s letter down nearby and flew away.

∞ 8 ∞

What happened at breakfast the next day was witnessed by a number of owls when they flew in to deliver the morning post.

Harry and Draco arrived together, late. No one took much notice of them at first. Draco grabbed Harry’s hand, and Harry could see the tension on his face. Impulsively he turned to give Draco a quick kiss, which turned into a longer kiss. When they finally pulled away, they faced a sea of astonished faces.

“Maybe they didn’t know after all,” Draco murmured.

“Well, they do now,” said Harry. 

Draco smiled at him, and Harry smiled back.

Behind them, Lavender and Parvati strolled in, arm in arm and eyes only for each other, giggling.

∞ 8 ∞

Artemis was finally given a letter from Draco to deliver to his father. She flew to the Manor with it. Since Narcissa always wanted to send her son a package of chocolates by return post, Artemis waited. Thus she was present when Lucius read the letter.

“Refusing the marriage? How dare he!” Lucius flung the letter down. “Overthrowing my months of careful negotiations. Has he no sense of what he owes his family?”

“What are Draco's reasons, dear?” Narcissa asked.

“He claims he’s ‘off the market’ because he’s in love. With Harry Potter, no less. Well, he’s no son of mine!”

Narcissa went very still. Then she summoned an ancient house elf. “Wiffly, do you remember the jewelry that I brought with me when I married? Good. Please pack it for me.”

Lucius stared at her. “Narcissa?”

“You said that my son is not your son. Naturally I assumed that you wished our marriage dissolved, as you prefer not to have a family.” Narcissa’s voice was cool. She fixed her husband with a steely look. “Or perhaps I misheard?”

∞ 8 ∞

Returning, Artemis entered the Great Hall with the other owls delivering the morning post, and found Draco sitting with his mate. She delivered the box (which was labeled with an extra flourish, ‘To My _Dearest_ Son Draco’) and then dropped the letter by the other boy’s plate.

“For me?” Harry said doubtfully.

“That’s my mother’s handwriting,” Draco said, looking over his shoulder. “It’s not a Howler, and she’s sent me extra chocolate. It’s probably safe.”

Harry opened it, read the brief lines and looked up in confusion. “She wants to know what kind of sweets I like.”

“Try this one,” Draco said, feeding Harry a chocolate.

“Mmm. That was really good. But –”

“Or this one.” Draco deftly popped another sweet into Harry’s mouth. 

Harry had to chew longer this time – it was a caramel. “Yeah, these fancy chocolates are nice,” he said when he finally finished. He grinned. “Still, there’s nothing like a good treacle tart.”

“Heresy!” Draco said, seizing another chocolate, but this time Harry plucked it away from him to stuff into Draco’s mouth.

Artemis nibbled the bit of bacon rind that Hedwig’s boy had thoughtfully offered, and watched indulgently as the two of them laughed and scuffled over the chocolate box. 

The bacon rind was tasty. The boys looked happy.

All in all, Artemis approved.

**Author's Note:**

> [Fic headers](http://hd-remix.tumblr.com/post/174403007979/drarry-fic-birds-eye-view) and a [pull quote](http://hd-remix.tumblr.com/post/174408589005/why-cant-your-father-wait-until-you-choose-your) have been posted to tumblr. Help promote the fest by liking and reblogging!


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